Marvel Studios has spent a long, long time building the Marvel Cinematic Universe from scratch, taking the time necessary to introduce new heroes with each new film installment. Each new film installment ultimately led to the formation of the Avengers on screen, allowing the studio to continually push the bar with each new title. With Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, Marvel successfully managed to do the impossible by bringing together a plethora of heroes on screen from the original Avengers, to the Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Panther, and Captain Marvel. However, it now looks like Marvel Studios is looking to go even bigger with the next Avengers movie.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy was being eyed to helm the next Avengers movie. Along with news of Levy's potential involvement, it was reported that the film is expected to bring in around sixty heroes. With a staggering number of heroes rumored to appear, it's possible the next Avengers film could fall victim to its own aspirations. Can the next Avengers film successfully carry a huge, sprawling story, while balancing a massive cast? Or will the film fail to reach the heights of its predecessors?

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Can the Next Avengers Movie Succeed with a Massive Cast?

When it comes to the Avengers franchise, Marvel Studios has always tried to push expectations by trying to do the impossible. Thus far, the studio has managed to surpass all expectations with the Avengers franchise. From managing to successfully bring together the original six Avengers in the 2012 movie, to bringing in all the heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date with both Infinity War and Endgame. The latter two being no easy feat, of course. Those films had the task of bringing the Avengers together alongside the Guardians, Black Panther, Ant-Man, Captain Marvel, etc. Despite having a sprawling cast, both Infinity War and Endgame understood how to balance the characters along with the storyline. The characters received adequate screentime depending upon their importance to the story. It never felt like overcrowding, despite how many characters were on the screen at a time.

With the next Avengers film, however, it's said that the film will be Marvel Studios' largest production to date with over sixty characters expected to appear on-screen. Should those rumors prove to be true, Marvel Studios is going to have to find a healthy balance between screentime and moving along the storyline. Especially as the studio has already introduced a ton of new characters since the last Avengers movie, and is thought to be bringing back some of the original Avengers for cameos. The best thing the film - and its director - can take away from both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame is knowing when to pull back. Infinity War was big, but Endgame was massive. There was a reason for these characters to appear; it served a story purpose rather than the sake of a cameo to please fans.

Does the Cast Need to be so Large?

The real question here, though, is whether or not the next Avengers movie truly needs to have over sixty characters appear on-screen. As exciting as it is to come to expect more from Marvel Studios and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, sooner or later, there's bound to be a ceiling that they're bound to hit where it's simply too much. Fans will always want more, but it's best to look at it from a storytelling perspective first and foremost. As exciting as it would be to see Chris Evans come back as Nomad, or even Robert Downey Jr.'s return as Iron Man, these aren't truly necessary appearances. Ultimately, the story needs to be the focus. Rumors previously suggested a smaller scale film that would focus instead on the newer heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Shang-Chi and Ms. Marvel. However, with Marvel Studios having re-evaluated its upcoming projects following multiple box office struggles, it appears the studio is trying to get back to what made it successful in the first place: taking risks.

Trying to balance a cast of over sixty heroes would certainly be a risk, and it's one that will be hard to pull off. However, with Infinity War and Endgame, Marvel Studios proved it can do the impossible. So, does the cast need to be as large as it is? Absolutely not. With a massive cast, there's more room for failure. However, it's also worth noting that Kevin Feige seems to have a tight grasp on the Marvel Cinematic Universe and seems to be actively working to get it back to the powerhouse it once was. With that in mind, while sixty characters seems daunting, it doesn't necessarily mean it won't work. Marvel will need to focus on the story and ensure it's well-constructed, while also making proper use of the characters involved. With a focused story and a tight cast, the next Avengers movie still has the possibility of exceeding expectations, so long as it knows when to rein it in.

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